Chemical Forums

Chemistry Forums for Students => Analytical Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: sdp on September 26, 2008, 08:15:41 PM

Title: Analytical/kinetics question involving autolysis of water
Post by: sdp on September 26, 2008, 08:15:41 PM

Hi,

I've just discovered these forums and I hope to stick around and help out. However, for now, there's a homework problem for my analytical class that I'm stumped on. It's very much a random question as it doesn't seem to pertain to anything that we've been covering in lecture. The problem goes like this:

"In the autolysis of water reaction: H₂O<=> H⁺ + OH^-, the reverse reaction rate, k₂, is 1.35e11 L mol^-1s^-1. Assuming pK_w=14, What is the forward reaction rate, k₁? Note, the forward rate is k₁*[H₂O] = k1*55.6.[__________] s^-1"

Any guidance is welcomed and all responses are appreciated.

Thanks.

Title: Re: Analytical/kinetics question involving autolysis of water
Post by: Borek on September 27, 2008, 04:01:24 AM

Kinetic approach to equilibrium tells you, that equilibrium happens when rates of forward and backward reactions are identical. Write expressions for forward and backward reactions and compare them to the reaction quotient.